PROGRESS HERE. BACK TO YOU. ALL RIGHT HEATHER, THANK YOU. NEW TONIGHT, THE SACRAMENTO CITY COUNCIL IS GETTING CLOSER TO CLOSING THE CITY’S $66 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT. AND TONIGHT THEY ACTUALLY RESTORED SOME SERVICES THAT HAD BEEN ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK AFTER VOTING LAST WEEK TO INCREASE FEES, ELIMINATE SOME VACANCIES AND CUT HOMELESS PROGRAMS. TONIGHT, THEY VOTED TO ADD SOME ITEMS BACK IN. TONIGHT, THE COUNCIL APPROVED A PLAN TO RESTORE ABOUT $1.8 MILLION IN PROGRAMS THAT WERE SLATED TO BE ELIMINATED IN THE CITY’S ORIGINAL BUDGET PLAN. THAT INCLUDES 1.3 MILLION FOR THE CITY’S GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION TASK FORCE, AND 581,000 FOR WADING POOLS, AND TO RESTORE RECREATIONAL SWIM HOURS AT CITY POOLS. THE CITY ALSO APPROVED A ONE-TIME RESTORATION OF ANOTHER 1.8 MILLION FOR MORE PROJECTS, INCLUDING PARK MAINTENANCE, VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND THE HART SENIOR CENTER. MAYOR KEVIN MCCARTHY SAYS THE COUNCIL HAD TO MAKE SOME TOUGH CHOICES. YOU KNOW, THE CHOICES AREN’T ALWAYS EASY. YOU KNOW, INCREASING SOME FEES AND, YOU KNOW, PARKING RATES AND LICENSES AND HAVING LAYOFFS OF SOME DEPARTMENTS. SO THAT’S CERTAINLY NOT EASY. AND, YOU KNOW, ADJUSTMENTS TO CITY DEPARTMENTS. BUT OVERALL, I THINK IT’S BEEN A
Sacramento City Council restores funding for pool hours, gang prevention task force amid budget deficit
Updated: 2:26 PM PDT May 20, 2026
The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday voted to restore $1.8 million in services that were previously slated for elimination as part of efforts to address the city’s $66 million budget deficit. The approved plan includes $1.3 million for the city’s gang prevention and intervention task force and $581,000 to support wading pools and recreational swim hours at city pools. The council also approved a one-time restoration of another $1.8 million for additional projects, including park maintenance, violence prevention programs, and the Heart Senior Center. Mayor Kevin McCarty acknowledged the difficult decisions involved in the budget process. “You know, the choices aren’t always easy, you know, increasing some fees and, you know, parking rates and licenses and having layoffs in some departments,” he said. “So that’s certainly not easy. And, you know, adjustments to city departments. But overall, I think it’s been a successful process.” The council is working to finalize the budget in early June.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday voted to restore $1.8 million in services that were previously slated for elimination as part of efforts to address the city’s $66 million budget deficit.
The approved plan includes $1.3 million for the city’s gang prevention and intervention task force and $581,000 to support wading pools and recreational swim hours at city pools.
The council also approved a one-time restoration of another $1.8 million for additional projects, including park maintenance, violence prevention programs, and the Heart Senior Center.
Mayor Kevin McCarty acknowledged the difficult decisions involved in the budget process.
“You know, the choices aren’t always easy, you know, increasing some fees and, you know, parking rates and licenses and having layoffs in some departments,” he said. “So that’s certainly not easy. And, you know, adjustments to city departments. But overall, I think it’s been a successful process.”
The council is working to finalize the budget in early June.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel